SCURRILOUS PAMPHLET

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIII, Issue 14363, 1 December 1910, Page 5

SCURRILOUS PAMPHLET

AGAINST SIR JOSEPH .WARD,, | REMARKS IN HOUSE. OPEO6IHON VINDICATED. P«S iress Association. WELLINGTON, Nov. 30. During tlie discussion of the Hine Committee's report in the House tins ; evening, j Sir Joseph Ward, replying to a j speech, of -Ylr Massoy at the previous ; sitting, went into details relating to ! his resignation from the Ministry aid i the House. He said that hj« had, ill I the light of after events, marvelled at ) his moderation in defending himself from cowardly, secret, malicious attacks made upon him in connection with his private business affairs referring to the liquidation of the Ward Association, and charges made against hini in connection therewith. He said he had never had an opportunity of being heard in his defence. Out of GDOO farmers doing business with, his firm not one had lost a shilling on his current account, which was a record in the history of liquidation. The whole of the creditors of the Ward Association had been paid 20s in the £. Referring to the Bank of New Zealand and its difficulties, Sir Joseph Ward said he had taken part with Mr Seddon in attempting to put the bank on a sound "basis at a time when it could not have paid a shilling on notes then current. He was the only man doing business with the bank who did not get two years to readjust his position. There was not a single man with whom lie had had business relations who had withdrawn his business from him. The pamphlet circulated against him was distributed freely from door to door. He asked the members for Bruce and Tauranga what they would think of him (the Premier) if he got any paper relating to these members' dead mothers and took the opportunity of drawing peoples' attention to it while travelling in a train. He would deserve to be called blackguard and skunk. Would Mr Allen deny that he had acted as described in connection with the pamphlet. Similar treatment to what he had received had been meted out to Mr Ballance and Mr Seddon. He had never known of a similar persecution in connection with British public men. He contradicted the suggestion that he was hankering after the High Commissiouership or any other position outside New Zealand. He had sought legal advice in regard to the pamphlet, and discovered that a man in his position had no redress. As Sir Joseph Ward sat down Government supporters rose and cheered, many shouting. " Hip-hip. hurrah." MR MASSEY'S CHALLENGE. Mr Massey said that if Sir Joseph" Ward could prove that lie (Mr Massev) had anything to do with the production of the pamphlet he was prepared to tender his resignation to the Speaker and retire from politics. If Sir Joseph \\ ard believed that any member of the Opposition was responsible for the pamphlet then he ought to state the name of the member. MR ALLEN'S STATEMENT. Mr Allen said it was true that he had received a copy of the pamphlet, and showed it to one of Sir Joseph's Ward's supporters in a train. He had not rend it through, and did not know that it contained references to Sir Joseph Ward's mother and wife. A STRONG DENIAL. Mr Herdman said he had asked Mr Ilassey if any member of the Opposition had anything to do with the issue of the scurrilous pamnhlet, which was cowardly and contemptible. The Leader of the Opposition had assured him that no member had had anything to do with it, and that no member of the Opposition would indulge in such a mode of attack. Mr Herries gave an unqualified denial to the statement that he had circulated the pamphlet.